There are no rules, no scoring but plenty of fun to be had in Rotorua hockey's newest league.
The Mini Marmites is a non-competitive hockey grade for pre-schoolers which has received so much interest it has 18 teams registered from kohanga reo and pre-schools across Rotorua.
It is believed to be the
first of its kind in New Zealand.
Marley Macpherson and Mel Rika set up the league a month ago to help children learn ball skills and prepare parents for when their children start playing sports through school.
"I've six kids and when it came to them being at school and getting involved in sports, I wasn't prepared for how much was involved," said MacPherson, who presented the idea to the Rotorua Hockey Association.
"When you come down here you see a lot of siblings watching their older siblings but they're walking around and the adults have to watch them instead of those on the turf."
Now it's the turn of the older siblings to cheer on those yet to start school.
Each team is allowed four players on the turf and the only rule is you have to use your stick to move the ball. It doesn't matter which end the goal is scored at - every goal is cheered on by family.
"A lot of Maori in Rotorua are really driven with hockey," Rika said.
"This is just an extension of that. They get brought down here as babies, a lot of them. It gives them something to do. They're learning to keep the ball on the stick, they just chase it. At this age it's about play. It's amazing to see how far they've gone in the three weeks we've been playing."
Games last 15 minutes and there are at least two adults on the turf with them.
